Become a missionary in your own home

Many times you think that being a missionary involves traveling to a different country, but what if you were a missionary in your own country or, better yet, in your own diocese? During the summer months in our diocese, we have migrant farmworkers who come to harvest the crops. They come to Allegan, Barry, Berrien, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph and Van Buren counties, the nine counties that form the Diocese of Kalamazoo. There are approximately 300 camps. And what does migrant ministry entail? Games, readings, Bible studies and more are provided for adults, children and youth, or the opportunity to just simply be present, listening to the people. The visits are done once a week during the end of June, and for the entire month of July and/or August, and last about an hour.

For those who may not be comfortable visiting the camps, there are other volunteer opportunities. You can share your time at the Aleman Center, located at Immaculate Conception Parish, Hartford, Mich. The center is named in honor of Deacon Eugenio Alemán, a Mexican farmworker who dedicated his life and ministry to help migrants. The Alemán Center ministers to the migrant families and provides free clothes and food to those who need this service. Maggie Ebrite, from St. Thomas More Student Parish, Kalamazoo, is the coordinator of the center.

The Office of Hispanic Ministry of the Diocese of Kalamazoo invites you to become part of this ministry. For many years the Diocese of Kalamazoo, in collaboration with its parishes, has formed volunteer team groups to visit the camps during the summer. If your parish does not have a group, you can start one, or you can join another parish that already has an established group.

If you want more information on how to start a group at your parish, first speak with your pastor to make sure there is not one already established. If you want to begin the process of starting a new migrant ministry volunteer group at your parish, call the Office of Hispanic Ministry of the diocese at 269.903.0197. Training and information on requirements when working with minors will be provided.

All established and new volunteers are invited to the migrant ministry kick-off. The meeting and evening of reflection for all the volunteer groups that will be helping with the ministry to the migrant farmworkers will be on Thursday, June 27 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the Crowley Center of St. Augustine Cathedral, 542 W. Michigan Ave., Kalamazoo, Mich.

Become part of the volunteers who joyfully collaborate in this ministry in order to reach the migrant farmworkers as a church and as a community of faith.